Do you know your blood pressure number? Heart and circulatory disease, also known as cardiovascular disease (CVD), causes a quarter of all deaths in the UK; in the Midlands, this is around 2,300 deaths each month.  

Knowing your blood pressure number is very important to get the help you need, at the time you need it. This Know Your Numbers! Week, which takes place from 5-11 September, the NHS is encouraging all Midlands residents to get to know their numbers.  

Know Your Numbers! Week, an annual campaign led by charity Blood Pressure UK, is a great opportunity to engage with your own wellbeing, helping you understand the importance of stats like blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose. When the numbers for these stats reach unhealthy levels, they can lead to serious cardiovascular disease, which is often symptomless until something serious happens – like a stroke or heart attack. High blood pressure is the biggest risk factor for strokes and there are around 210,000 stroke survivors in the Midlands. 

Since October 2021, community pharmacies across England have been offering a blood pressure check service to people over 40 as an easy and convenient way for people to get their blood pressure checked. 

Community pharmacies are easily accessible for most people, who can drop in without needing to make an appointment at a time convenient to them, or at the request of their GP. 

The NHS in the Midlands is encouraging everyone, particularly those over 40, to get their blood pressure checked so they can know their numbers. You can find your local pharmacist through this website: https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/pharmacy/find-a-pharmacy 

Dr Nigel Sturrock, Regional Medical Director for the NHS in the Midlands, said: 

“High blood pressure is known as ‘the silent killer’, with a third of people with high blood pressure not knowing they have it. High blood pressure affects 15 million adults in the UK and is a leading cause of strokes and heart disease. Knowing your numbers is a key tool in preventing heart attacks and strokes.   

“Getting your blood pressure checked at your local pharmacy is quick and straightforward. You could add years to your life by getting the treatment or medication you need earlier.” 

Additional blood pressure checks in the Midlands during Know Your Numbers! Week: 

People in Wolverhampton are able to get their blood pressure checked at the Mander Centre Covid-19 vaccination site, on the Upper Mall (opposite Rymans) from Monday-Wednesday (5-7 September) from 10am-4pm daily, by the team from The Royal Wolverhampton Trust. The team will have blood pressure monitors ready for everyone who visits to know their numbers.  

A similar event recently took place in Birmingham during the Commonwealth Games. The event saw around 140 people get their blood pressure checked, with 89 people over the two days being identified as having ‘Pre-high’ or ‘High’ blood pressure. These people were referred onto their GP for further assessment and necessary treatments.  

As part of Know Your Numbers! Week, Kinetik Wellbeing and Blood Pressure UK’s blood pressure check van will be in Birmingham on Thursday 8 September; you can find it at the Bullring from 10am-6pm on the day.